GS26 Focuses on Reaching Nigeria’s ‘Last Mile

The Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) has announced that the 2026 Global Summit (GS26) will focus on delivering practical solutions to Nigerians at the “last mile” rather than merely setting policy agendas.

Speaking ahead of the summit, PIC Country Director, Dr. Osasuyi Dirisu, said the theme reflects five years of advocacy aimed at ensuring innovations and policies reach the most vulnerable communities.

She noted that many solutions fail because they are designed without understanding the needs of those they are meant to serve, describing such innovations as “elitist and irrelevant.”

Dirisu cited the 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index, which shows that 133 million Nigerians are multidimensionally poor, most of them living in hard-to-reach rural areas.

Also speaking, Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) CEO, Tayo Aduloju, described the last mile as “the forgotten, unseen and unheard,” warning that exclusion in education, healthcare and economic opportunities could fuel future crises if left unaddressed.

He called for innovations that can scale and deliver measurable impact, including reducing child mortality and increasing school enrolment.

According to the organisers, GS26 will prioritize action, accountability, and inclusive solutions that deliver real value where it matters most at the last mile.